League Cricket: Foran's wicket haul fails to halt slide (9 Sep 1998)

9 September 1998

League Cricket: Foran's wicket haul fails to halt slide

By Andrew Collomosse

BIRKENHEAD Park's Chris Foran had little cause for celebration after his side's Cheshire County League encounter with Alderley Edge, despite claiming one of the game's two hat-tricks.

For Foran's figures of five for 37 were not enough to prevent his side slumping to a single-wicket defeat that could well cost them a place in next season's Premier League.

Alderley Edge skipper Simon Bolton was the other player to perform the hat-trick as he helped to restrict the Birkenhead side to 134 and, ironically, his final victim was Foran. Those mixed feelings were shared by Indian batsman Sammy Dighe, who scored two centuries for Ossett in the Central Yorkshire League yet failed to see his side register a victory.

Dighe scored 102 as Ossett's pursuit of 182 against New Farnley was halted by the weather and his undefeated 135 the following day did not prevent leaders Methley from registering a crucial six-wicket success.

In the Merseyside Competition, Ainsdale fast bowler Simon Murphy became only the second player to take 100 wickets in a season as he claimed figures of six for 20 against Cheshire Lines.

With two games to play Murphy, a 23-year-old New Zealander, has taken 103 wickets at an average of only 9.20 and the Competition also featured a batting feat, with Prestatyn amateur Alistor (correct) Jones passing 1,000 runs in the game against Cald y.

Family pride was in evidence in the Bolton League as Keith Hornby and his son Stuart scored half-centuries for Egerton against Horwich and Shahid Nawaz's unbeaten 62 for Ribblesdale Wanderers against his old club Read enabled him to establish a new Ribblesdale League batting record of 1,372 with one game to play.

Nawaz already holds the individual batting record in the Huddersfield League, where two wins for leaders Meltham leave them just one point away from their third successive title. Former Yorkshire spinner Paul Booth claimed eight wickets for 98 in the games against Skelmanthorpe and Marsden.

Consett skipper David Jackson 's figures of five for 46 against Swalwell in the Tyneside Senior League enabled him to reach 120 wickets for the season, another record, although defeat cost his side their chances of lifting the title.

And there was a bitter-sweet weekend for North Lancashire League leaders Millom, whose two wins were marred by an injury to their professional Andre Nel.

The South African fast bowler broke down with his side in sight of their seventh championship in ten years and his own wicket tally just 13 short of the league's 72-year-old record of 114 with three games to play.

Meanwhile, Brendan Miskella and Andy Butler took five wickets apiece as Littleborough confirmed their 17th Central Lancashire League crown by beating Crompton, one of their closest rivals all season.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)